Stranger Within
by Meztli
Summary: When Tenchi finds Ryoko's journal he comes to realize many things....
1. Stranger Within

songs Shin Tenchi or Tenchi in Tokyo does not belong to me. Do you think that if it did I would be writing this? Nope, this would be part of the manga/video. 'Neways, Please don't sue, for I am poor. None of the songs belong to me either, if u want to know who they belong to, then skim down to the author notes. That said, enjoy!   


Stranger Within 

"Ryoko?"   
The word resounded through the empty room. There was only silence.   
Tenchi looked around. Ryoko had not come down to eat breakfast, and Sasami had asked Tenchi to go and fetch her in her room. They had all been slightly confused at her absence. It was not like her to miss a meal, which meant that she must be in bed either sick or drunk. But, as Tenchi scanned the room, there was no sign of her. 

He was about to turn and leave when he noticed something strange about her room. Tenchi looked around to see what was the thing that had bothered him. It wasn't as though there was something there that shouldn't be there. Quite the opposite in fact. There was nothing. A slight shiver ran down his spine at the thought of her running away. He dismissed the thought as impossible. But she had done it before, after the night he kissed Sakuya.... 

"Tenchi?"   
Tenchi jumped, startled. He turned to see the owner of the voice. Sasami stood there, watching him slightly worried. 

"Oh, hi Sasami, Ryoko isn't in her room." he explained as she looked at him slightly worried.   
"I know. Are you feeling all right?" asked the young girl.   
"Yes, of course, why would you ask that?" he said, trying to look as normal as possible for the child.   
"You seemed kind of worried." she responded. "Why where you looking at Ryoko's room like that?" 

Tenchi looked at the girl, wondering if he should tell her what was on his mind. He sighed as he decided to tell her; after all, Sasami would be able to tell if he was lying. 

"It's just that Ryoko's room seems kind of different." he explained.   
Sasami's eyes roamed over the room, trying to see what Tenchi meant. She frowned. "It looks normal to me Tenchi."   
"Normal? Are you sure? Don't you think it's kind of... empty?" Tenchi asked.   
"What do you mean?" asked Sasami, slightly confused.   
"Well, there's nothing. I mean, no pictures, posters, books, clothes, or anything that there would normally be in a room where a girl lives. There's nothing that would even suggest someone lives here."   
Comprehension dawned on Sasami's eyes. "Oh, that's what you mean. Ryoko doesn't have anything like that Tenchi, she never has."   
"Never?"   
Sasami shook her head. "You mean you hadn't noticed before? Ryoko does not have any belongings like that." 

Tenchi let the newfound information run through his mind, He had never given much thought to what Ryoko's room looked like. Ryoko usually didn't even sleep in the room. 

Sasami was looking expectantly at Tenchi, and he realized that she had asked him a question. 

"I'm sorry, what did you say Sasami?"   
"I said that Ryoko probably went out somewhere and she'll return later, and that we should have breakfast. Are you coming?"   
"Yeah." 

With one last glance at the empty room, Tenchi turned and followed Sasami downstairs.   
  
  
  


~0~ 

Tenchi returned to the room later in the morning. Ryoko had not returned from wherever she was, and everyone had an idea of where she was. 

"Maybe she went to visit a friend." exclaimed the ever innocent Sasami.   
"She probably is off somewhere, terrorizing the population of some innocent planet." said Ayeka, always distrustful of the pirate's nature.   
"Maybe she met the Space Police Policemen and she's helping them destroy the bad guys!!" added Mihoshi while her eyes glazed over. Everyone else sweat dropped.   
"She could have gone somewhere to take a walk." suggested Kiyone while she bopped the blonde on the head.   
"Ow!"   
"Well, I for one think she's out somewhere drunk." stated Washu, the number one genius in the universe.   
"She could have gone out to have a little fun." said Noboyuki.   
"She will return when she's ready." said the ever calm Katsuhito.   
"Myaa!!!" agreed Ryo-ohki. 

Tenchi shook his head and his eyes roamed around the room. No one had expected Ryoko to keep a room clean, but apparently she did. That could have been accounted to the fact that Ryoko hardly spent any time there. Tenchi walked around, looking for something of Ryoko's. There were a couple of empty sake bottles in a corner of the closet, some old fashion magazines, and some makeup. It sat there collecting dust, and Tenchi figured it was from the time they went out on a date. He smiled slightly at the memory. 

Other than the things in the closet, the room was very much bare. 

How could he have not noticed? Tenchi always thought of Ryoko as a very good friend, if nothing else. He knew everything there was to know of his school friends, but yet he lived with Ryoko and he had never noticed the oddity of her room. He realized that there was much he did not know about her. 

With a sigh, Tenchi laid down in Ryoko's bed and stared at the ceiling, lost in thought. His eyes ran up and down, following the uniform pattern of the wood. So many mysteries. Ryoko's life was pretty much unknown to Tenchi. He had always felt he knew all of the girls and their lives. 

Ayeka- First princess of Jurai. Shy, well mannered, polite. Beautiful with her delicate pale skin, large ruby eyes and flowing purple hair. She had lived a life as royalty complying with Juraian customs. Rigid, proper strict, yet sometimes childish and innocent. She could be self-rightgeous and then humble. 

Sasami- Second princess of Jurai. Happy, kind, cheerful child. Adorable with pink eyes, full of life, framed by lovely blue hair. She had a sweet disposition towards all, even with those no one would mingle with. She was raised like Ayeka, minus some of the rigidity necessary for the training of the future empress. Sasami was the young child yet the mother figure at the same time. 

Washu- Self-proclaimed mad scientist. Mischievous, cunning, but nonetheless adorable in her sometimes childish plots. Lively with her brilliant emerald eyes and flame red hair. She oozed energy, always thinking of some new invention. She had always loved science, and she had made it clear that a scientist was all she would ever be. The number one genius scientist, of course, no less. 

Mihoshi- First class Galaxy Police Detective. Amusing, clumsy, sweet. Childish with her blue eyes, blond hair and slightly olive skin. A constant headache for Kiyone, yet a relief when things got too tense. One couldn't help but like the forgetful, accident-prone girl. Always causing some sort of mayhem while trying to help out. Sometimes too sentimental, crying over the simplest things. With her constant chattering Tenchi felt he knew enough of her to write a book. 

Kiyone- First class Galaxy Police Detective. Intelligent, serious, dedicated. Pleasant with her teal hair and cerulean eyes. She had become a great Galaxy Police officer by means of her intelligence and hard work. Kiyone was the dependable person of the team. She was the person who covered your back while you fought and helped you stand when you fell. The pillar, you could say. 

Ryo-ohki- Cabbit. Sweet little animal, half cat, half rabbit. Everyone's pet, even if formerly only Sasami's. Just give her a carrot and she was your friend for life. 

Ryoko- Space pirate. Intense, entertaining, radical. Outgoing with golden cat eyes, vibrant cyan hair, and a devil may care attitude. She was never one to mope, and when she did feel down she could lighten up easily. Or at least to Tenchi's knowledge. She was the wild card that could turn your worst day into your best and vice versa.   


Tracing the patterns of the wood with his eyes, Tenchi contemplated all he knew. If it could be a simple and reliable as the pattern. Up and down, consistent, unvarying, iden- Wait, what was that? 

Tenchi looked at a small square at a corner of the ceiling. The pattern there shifted slightly. Not too much as to be noticed easily, but at a second glance it was visible. Tenchi frowned. He was quite sure that had not been there before Ryoko arrived. Not that he took special interest in watching the ceiling... but he would have been the one fixing any holes in the ceiling, and he didn't remember this particular one. Could it be....? His frown deepened and he stood. He walked towards the corner and studied the square. He left and then returned with a ladder. 

He positioned the ladder carefully and climbed. He ran a hand softly along the edges of the square. Yup, this was definitely recent. He pushed the square upwards slowly and it gave easily. He looked at the hole. It was dark and small, no one could go through it. But... maybe some small object could fit there. 

Tenchi lifted his hands and touched the interior and... There! A box? No... a book of some sorts. Tenchi pulled it out. A thin layer of dust covered the book and as he blew it off he was engulfed in a cloud of dust. Tenchi climbed down the stairs and walked towards the bed. He sat on it and looked at the book curiously. It was obviously expensive, with black leather as a cover and a golden _"Ryoko"_ inscribed in it . He traced the single word with his finger and then opened it. On the inside of the cover there was a note. 

"So you can practice those rusty writing skills (and hopefully learn something in the process!). Love, Washu-chan." Tenchi looked at the drawing of Chibi-Washu under the message and chuckled. 

Tenchi turned to the middle of the journal. A couple of pictures fell to the floor. He bent to pick them up and curiously looked at them. 

_Ryoko standing on top of a table covered in money. She's seductively winking at the camera and grinning while making a victory sign with her right hand._

Tenchi rolled his eyes while smiling. That was Ryoko all right. 

_Ryoko and Washu are covered in expensive jewelry and are each grabbing onto a side of a crown, playing tug of war. They both have comical competitive expressions on their faces._

Tenchi had to chuckle at that one. 

_A group picture of all the family. They are all smiling happily at the camera. Ryoko is not present but there is a square on the corner of the picture with her face on it._

Tenchi remembered taking that picture right before he left for Tokyo. 

_A set of photos of Tenchi and Ryoko. Ryoko is happily hugging Tenchi while Tenchi looks slightly mortified._

Those were from their date. Tenchi remembered it vividly. Ryoko had tried so hard and had been a handful all throughout the date. 

_Ryoko and a man standing side by side. Ryoko is smiling ferociously, and she looks like she doesn't have a care in the world, but her eyes look slightly dim. The man by her side is also smiling, but his smile is more mysterious and slightly cruel. He is arrogantly handsome with long, blond hair and cold blue eyes hiding behind glasses. Instead of making his look less attractive, the glasses give him an air of intellect above normal standards._

That was Hotsuma. The man who had tried to marry him and Sakuya and who had tried to take her away when Tenchi refused to do so. The man who had been so impressed with Ryoko at their initial battle, who had helped her run away to the stars to a life of piracy after the carnival. The man who tried to kill Ryoko when he felt he didn't need her any longer. 

'Why would Ryoko keep a picture of them together?' thought Tenchi, trying to ignore the gnawing feeling at the bottom of his stomach. 'Could it be that she still has some lingering feelings for him, even after all she went through?' 

Tenchi put the pictures away, still worried, and turned back to the first page. It was blank. He turned the page and then there was something written. 

"A poem?" Tenchi wondered aloud. 

Tenchi was shocked. It WAS a poem. And dedicated to him. Or at least he hoped it was.   


**_Like a Beam of Moonlight._**

_Like a beam of moonlight,_   
_Throughout the sleeping jungle._   
_Like that, the light in your eyes_   
_Has enlightened my lonely life._   
_You gave light to the pathway_   
_In my night without fortune,_   
_Lighting my sky_   
_Like a clear beam of moonlight._   
_Beam of white moonlight,_   
_You light my way._   
_Like that is your love in my life,_   
_The truth of my destiny._   
_You gave light to the pathway_   
_In my night without fortune._   
_Lighting my sky,_   
_Like a clear beam of moonlight._   


Tenchi remembered when they met, how he had fought and injured her. He had felt so guilty he took care of her later, trying to bring her out of her slumber by talking to her, even if she couldn't listen to him. Ryoko had been thoughtful and studied him carefully for a couple of days after she woke. Had that been what she had thought of him? A clear beam of moonlight through the dark jungle of her life? 

Tenchi became curious to know what else she wrote. He turned the page.   


**_Cinnamon Skin_**

_The universe can lose it's stars_   
_Or the vast ocean it's immensity._   
_But that the darkness of your eyes does not die,_   
_And your cinnamon skin stays the same._   
_If the rainbow lost it's beauty,_   
_And the flowers their scent and color,_   
_My sadness would not be so great_   
_Like that of losing your love._   
_I care about you,_   
_And you._   
_And only you._   
_I care about you,_   
_And you,_   
_And nobody but you._   
_Dark eyes, cinnamon skin_   
_That drive me insane._   
_I care about you,_   
_And you,_   
_And nobody but you._

She WAS writing about him!! Hotsuma had blue eyes, blond hair and pale skin, while Tenchi had "Dark eyes" and "Cinnamon skin." For some reason that made him happy, knowing that Ryoko thought so much of him as to write a poem about him, especially one in which she stated she cared for no one but him. 

He smiled and turned the page.   


**_Flavor of me._**

_So much time I enjoyed of this love_   
_Our souls became so very close_   
_That I keep your flavor,_   
_But you also hold my flavor._   
_If you denied my presence in your life,_   
_It would be enough to hold you and talk._   
_So much life I gave you,_   
_That you must have the flavor of me._   
_I don't pretend to own you,_   
_I'm nothing, I have no vanity._   
_Of my life I give the best_   
_I'm so poor, what else can I give?_   
_A thousand years will pass, many more._   
_I don't know if eternity holds love._   
_But there, just like in here,_   
_In your mouth you will hold my flavor._

Tenchi chuckled. He was sure to hold her flavor after all of those hugs she constantly gave him. He smiled at the thought of her not "Pretending to own him." Why, that was the reason for the daily morning battles Ryoko shared with Ayeka. Well, at least it once was. 

He turned the page.   


**_If You Say to Me "Come"_**

_If you say to me "Come"_   
_I'll leave it all._   
_If you say to me "Come"_   
_It will be all for you._   
_My most hidden moments I will you give you also._   
_My secrets,_   
_Which aren't many,_   
_Will be yours also._   
_If you say to me "Come"_   
_everything will change._   
_If you say to me "Come"_   
_There will be happiness._   
_If you say to me "Come."_   
_Do not delay the moment because of indecision._   
_To unite soul with soul, heart with heart._   
_To laugh with you against any pain._   
_Crying with you,_   
_Crying with you will be my salvation._   
_But if you say to me "Come"_   
_I'll leave it all._   
_Don't let it become late_   
_And you find yourself in the streets_   
_Lost, without a path, and in the mud._   
_If you say to me "Come"_   
_I'll leave it all._

Leave? Would Ryoko really leave all she knew for him? Tenchi's eyes widened as he realized she HAD left it all for him. Money... glory... freedom... power. Everything that came with being a pirate. She had abandoned all that she had loved and been comfortable with. For him. He had never stopped to realize all that each girl had given up just to be by his side. Yet he had abandoned them for Sakuya when they needed him the most. 

Lost in thought Tenchi turned the page.   


**_Then I will turn around._**

_You leave because I want you to._   
_At any time I want to_   
_I'll stop you._   
_I know you need my love_   
_Because whether you want it or not_   
_I own you._   
_I want you to travel through the worlds_   
_And I want you to meet many people._   
_I want other lips to kiss you_   
_So you can compare me to them_   
_Today, like always._   
_If you find a love that understands you,_   
_And you feel loves you like no one else._   
_Then I will turn around,_   
_And I'll leave with the sun_   
_When the evening dies._   
_You leave because I want you to._   


So she had felt that he had left her, but she had allowed him to go thinking that he would come to his senses later. She had been hurt, but indignant. That sounded like Ryoko, no matter what she kept on going on. 

Tenchi turned the page.   


**_Tell Him I love Him._**

_Moon that breaks over the darkness of my solitude,_   
_Where do you go?_   
_Tell me if this night you'll leave me like he left,_   
_With whom is he?_   
_Tell him I love him,_   
_That I die of so much waiting._   
_Tell him to come back._   


For a moment Tenchi felt sure he could see Ryoko standing alone among a sea of stars. She would be talking to the lone moon in her solitude, asking her to deliver a message she could not deliver. For a moment Tenchi felt guilt wash over him. 

He turned the page.   


**_Without You_**

_Without you_   
_I will not be able to live anymore_   
_And to think_   
_You will never be next to me._   
_Without you_   
_What can I care_   
_If what makes me cry_   
_Is far from me._   
_Without you_   
_There is no mercy in my pain_   
_The hope of my love_   
_You take at last._   
_Without you_   
_It is useless to live,_   
_Like useless it will be_   
_To try to forget you._   


Even after all Tenchi had done, she still thought about him. She couldn't forget him. Tenchi wondered how he had ever questioned her feelings for him. He had thought once that all of her interest in him was just a game, that he was a toy that could be used to annoy others, like the Princess. He had ever really thought that her feelings for him ran so deep. 

Tenchi turned the page.   


**_The story of a Love_**

_You are no longer at my side, my heart._   
_In my soul I have only solitude._   
_And if cannot see you anymore,_   
_Then why did God make me love you,_   
_To only make me suffer more?_   
_You were always the reason of my existence._   
_Loving you was to me a religion,_   
_And in your kisses I found,_   
_The warmth that your love and passion brought me._   
_It's the story of a love like there is no other one,_   
_That made me understand all the good, all the bad,_   
_That gave light to my life, only to take it away._   
_Oh, what a dark life!_   
_Without your love I will not live._   
_It's the story of a love._   


"Loving you was to me a religion." Such a strange phrase, coming form the most dangerous Pirate in the Universe. But then, the idea of Ryoko writing poems was almost alien to Tenchi. Here was the proof that things ran more deeply than they appeared to. There was a part of Ryoko no one knew about. It was depressing to read Ryoko's thoughts when she was alone and away from all of them. She had felt empty and lonely, yet nobody even though she was capable of that. It was as if everyone knew the artificial, playful Ryoko, but there was a stranger within no one knew about. 

Tenchi turned the page.   


**_In What Way Do I Forget You?_**

_You'll see that I haven't changed._   
_I'm in love with you, maybe just like yesterday._   
_Maybe they have told you_   
_That they have seen me alone,_   
_Crying for your love._   
_And I'm not ashamed_   
_That even with the experience that life gave me_   
_To your love I hold on to,_   
_And even if I don't have it anymore,_   
_I cannot forget you._   
_In what way do I forget you?_   
_In what way do I bury_   
_This damned love_   
_That every day tortures my heart?_   
_In what way do I forget you,_   
_When I see you in any person?_   
_And you don't want to even see me_   
_Because you wish to quiet my love._

"Maybe they have told you?" That must have been written when Kiyone and Mihoshi tried to capture her and ended up playing cards. She had assumed that they would tell him all about her on their return to Earth, and she had been right. Unfortunately he had been all caught up with Sakuya. He had placed her before anyone else, and it had torn his family apart. 

Now they were together again, and everything seemed normal, but Tenchi could sense that there were deep scars left. His once crazy, but perfect family had cracked edges. He had once had all he had wished for and not realized it, and now that he couldn't have it again he missed it. 

He missed the simplicity in which they would all talk, not worried about bringing up something uncomfortable. Now they were careful not to mention anything that would remind them of Sakuya or Yugi. 

He missed having Ayeka and Ryoko fight for the simplest reasons. He had hated it once, but now that they no longer fought as often, and usually not for him he found himself missing the constant battles. It somehow added excitement to their house. 

He missed Washu's experiments. She had warned him over and over again about the conditions in the house when Yugi tried to separate them, but he had refused to listen. Now Washu was not as open as before. 

Ayeka didn't trust him like before either. She had also begged him to return home, as he had refused, dismissing it all. Ayeka had been hurt deeply by his carelessness, by how he had allowed his family to break up and had thought nothing of it. His relationship with Sakuya had not helped matters. Ayeka was still cordial, polite and sweet towards him, but she was much more reserved and exclusive. 

Sasami, Kiyone and Mihoshi seemed to treat him almost like before the breakup. Almost but not quite. There were certain... small incidents in which they had not acted like their former selves. 

Ryoko, however, worried him the most. She didn't dote on him as much anymore. She would laugh, talk, and flirt with him like before, but there were things that were off. She no longer hugged him every chance she had, and she sometimes she seemed to avoid him. She would be laughing with the girls over something funny or over some romantic scenes of the soap operas she enjoyed watching, and if Tenchi walked in, her smile would disappear. She would smile again, of course, and try to pretend all was right, but Tenchi didn't miss her change of attitude. 

Reading her journal, Tenchi realized how deeply she had been affected by his actions. It was hard to think that he, who would not choose between them before so he wouldn't hurt anyone, had hurt them so thoughtlessly, all in the name of love. Unfortunately, "love" was not a good excuse for abandoning them. 

Tenchi sighed and turned the page. The next page was blank. He frowned and turned the page again, finding that the next page was also blank. 

"That's it?" What about her return? What about the battle, and life after it? Why would she stop writing? 

Tenchi returned to the first page and began flipping through the journal again and again, lost in thought. 

Voices were heard coming from downstairs, and Tenchi stood up and returned the book to it's hiding place. He listened carefully to the conversation carefully as he walked down the stairs. 

"Hey everybody!"   
"Ryoko? Where were you? We were worried!!" chastised Sasami.   
"Worried about me? You really shouldn't worry, I'm Ryoko, the most wanted pirate in the universe!!!! I can take care of myself."   
"Really Miss. Ryoko, running away just like that!!! May I inquire about your whereabouts?" said certain purple haired princess.   
"No you may not." answered Ryoko, imitating the princess.   
"Ryoko!!! Please don't start a fight, Tenchi just fixed the hole where Mihoshi crashed!!" begged Sasami.   
"Fine, fine, sorry Sasami. I simply went to Tokyo. I was bored, so I decided to go to Tokyo and shop around. I got you all gifts. Here!!" responded Ryoko.   
"Hey! Chocolate cabbits!!! Thanks Ryoko." said Mihoshi.   
"Yep, I had them specially prepared for you."   
"Well Miss. Ryoko, it was rather nice of you to buy candy for us, but may I ask where you got the money from?" asked Ayeka.   
"From your purse, of course!" answered Ryoko.   
"WHAT?!!!!!!" 

Tenchi winced at Ayeka's scream. Stranger or not, Ryoko was still Ryoko. 

~@~ 

Well, what did you think? I wrote this long ago but didn't post it. Most of the songs are old Mexican songs that my grandma listens to sometimes. The songs belong to the deceased Los Panchos, 'cept for "In What way do I forget you?" that one is relatively new and belongs to Vicente Fernandez. They are badly translated, on account of the fact I am NOT a living dictionary. Please bear with me, and review. Pretty pretty please? And I'll love you forever? And ever? 


	2. Knowing the Stranger

Shin Tenchi or Tenchi in Tokyo does not belong to me. Do you think that if it did I would be writing this? Nope, this would be part of the manga/video. 'Neways, Please don't sue, for I am poor. The song used in this story belongs to Juan Gabriel and I took the liberty of translating it and adapting some words to fit the story better. That said, enjoy!   
  
  


**Knowing the Stranger**

Part II of Stranger 

  


Ryoko laid in her bed. She was currently looking up at the wooden ceiling of the Masaki house, where she was currently a guest. True, she had been living there for quite a while and planed to stay indefinitely, but she was still a guest. Her eyes traveled to a corner of the ceiling, where the wooden pattern was different. That was where she kept her treasures. 

Her treasures. 

She smiled just thinking about it. Not jewels, gold, or money, as most expected a pirate's treasures to be, but another, more important kind of treasure. Her memories. A journal of some sort and photographs among other things. 

She frowned as she decided that she would have to move her little book somewhere else, for her hiding place had been found. She knew, of course, that Tenchi had found her book and read it. It was actually quite obvious. Tenchi might have been a skilled swordsman but he was inexperienced and naive when it came to covering his tracks. He had been careless. He had moved the box from it's original place, left footprints on the dust, and placed the wooden trapdoor in a different pattern. Ryoko knew it had been Tenchi who had found the journal, she knew her other house mates quite well and was sure it couldn't have been anyone else. 

Ayeka would have used the journal to mock her (if she actually felt it was worth reading.) Mihoshi was just too simple-minded to find the hiding place, Kiyone would respect her privacy, as would sweet, little Sasami. Washu was much too busy on her experiments, and she had been the one to give Ryoko the book in the first place. Katsuhito was not that kind of person, and if Noboyuki ever found it he would get bored as soon as he realized there wasn't anything interesting in it (i.e. Hentai.) Tenchi was the one and only suspect. 

Ryoko wasn't upset, well maybe a tad bit, but she loved Tenchi too much to stay angry at him for long. He had been curious, nothing more. She herself suffered from a severe case of curiosity and couldn't blame him for trying to find out what was written in the book. Still, she didn't want him to read more. She might have been a space pirate but whoever had said that space pirates didn't need privacy? Certainly not her. She treasured it to no end. 

Tenchi had acted differently towards her since he had read the journal. Slightly different, true, but different. His eyes seemed much more gentle when he looked at her, and there seemed to be an unspoken question in them. He wouldn't approach her, she knew, for it would be admitting he had defiled the privacy of her thoughts, when he always scolded her for not respecting his privacy. She herself didn't want to have an all out talk with him about what was written in the journal. It meant opening her heart and rendering it defenseless, even if it was for Tenchi. 

She didn't want to have to stand in front of him and explain what she had been feeling as she wrote those poems. The entries themselves were heartbreaking, and although a very sweet boy, Tenchi was not exactly the most thoughtful guy in the world. Sakuya had been a good enough proof of that. Ryoko knew he hadn't meant to hurt her or anyone else, but he could be thoughtless at times. 

Ryoko stood up. no point in dawdling. She had to face him and tell him she knew what he had been up to. She didn't have to be emotional about it, just stand, talk, and ask him not to go through her stuff again without her consent. That was it. 

"I am a strong and proud warrior. I will not fear anything." She told herself sternly. If she said it enough times she might actually believe it. With her back straight and her shoulders set she walked out of the room. 

~0~ 

Tenchi Masaki was sweeping the shrine floors. He was about half-way done. 

"Grandpa is a slave driver..." Tenchi muttered dully as he swept. At least it was a beautiful day. He took in the wonderful scenery before him and smiled. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, letting his lungs intake as much fresh air as possible. 

That was when he felt a sudden presence behind him. He immediately opened his eyes and he turned around, holding his broom as though it were a sword. His opponent merely arched a delicate eyebrow, her hands on her hips. 

"Ryoko." Tenchi breathed. He looked at his "sword" for a second and then lowered the broom to the floor, blushing slightly. "Don't do that, you startled me!" he said. 

Ryoko's golden eyes held a smile as she responded. "I know, I was at the receiving end of your formidable weapon. I must say, truly a worrisome sight." she laughed teasingly. 

Tenchi blushed much more deeply but didn't utter a word. 

"Really, one would think that you would be used to me teleporting by now." she said as she folded her arms in front of her chest. 

Tenchi responded something inaudible. He was actually very surprised at Ryoko's teasing. She usually would have clung to him and flirted shamelessly, but not today. Or actually not for a while. 

A long while. 

That was why he had been startled by her sudden appearance. It was the fact that she hadn't teleported with her arms around his neck that had done the trick. She had been more reserved lately and Tenchi didn't know why, or he didn't want to believe why. He had the nagging suspicion that she knew he had read her journal, but that couldn't be, could it? She would have told him _something_ about it, right? Right? 

Ryoko regarded him calmly, studying him. She had noticed how suddenly his attitude had changed. Soooooo..... He was afraid she knew about the journal.... Ryoko let her eyes roam around for a moment and her gaze fell on the cave where Yugi slept. Her golden eyes hardened for a moment, but the emotion flickered away instantly. 

'Sorry Tenchi, but we have to discuss this.' she thought. She then turned to him and spoke, her voice calm and collected. "Tenchi, I know you read it." 

Tenchi looked at her ashamed and slightly afraid, not of her, but of her words. He didn't pretend to not know what she was talking about, it wouldn't do to keep playing innocent. 

Ryoko regarded him, her face unreadable. "Why?" she asked. 

Tenchi thought about it only for a minute. "I-I was curious. I found it and I just wanted to know what was in it." 

"That's it?" she asked while he merely nodded. She looked away, her face still a mystery. 

"Ryoko?" he asked nervously. He continued when she turned to face him. "Are you angry?" 

She seemed to think about it for a while, then she responded. "No, not really. I was for a little while. I mean, it was private, you know?" she saw Tenchi wince slightly and resumed talking. "But I had guessed you had been curious, and I probably would have done the same thing." she smiled wanly. "I can't blame you for something I would have done, it would make me a hypocrite and it just wouldn't be right." 

Tenchi sighed in relief. She wasn't angry. That put his mind and conscience at ease. He looked at Ryoko, who was still studying him. It made him slightly uncomfortable. 

She spoke again. "However Tenchi, I would appreciate it if you would refrain from reading my book again without my permission." 

Tenchi nodded quickly. "I will." he assured her. 

Ryoko smiled. "Thank you." she said quietly. "Well, you seem to be busy, so I'll leave you now." She turned as if to leave. 

As he saw Ryoko's retreating back he remembered the questions that had been plaguing him since he had found the journal. "Ryoko?" 

"Yeah?" she was looking at him again. 

"Do you mind if I asked you some questions?" he asked. 

"What kind of questions?" she asked carefully. 

"Well, I was wondering... Why do you have that picture of that Hotsuma guy?" he asked the question as though it had hung on his mind heavily. It had, in fact. Not that he was willing to admit just how much the question had plagued him. 

Ryoko's mind seemed to drift for a while, but then she turned back to him. "Why do you want to know?" 

"Uhh..." 

Now what exactly was Tenchi supposed to say? 

"Well, I was curious. I mean, didn't he try to kill you?" 

For a second, Tenchi could have sworn that he saw a painful look in Ryoko's eyes, however it disappeared almost instantly, and he wasn't as sure anymore. 

Ryoko took a deep breath before talking again, carefully arranging her thoughts before she spoke. "Hotsuma.... He was special to me, still is, in a way. Even after all that's happened, after his betrayal, after our battle, after... after his death. I just can't bring myself to hate him. I think that deep inside, there's a part of me that considers him a friend and mourns his loss." she examined her hands, as though she could see the blood that once covered them. His blood. 

"He _was_ my friend. At least that's how I like to deceive myself, or so I'm told." she gave a short, humorless laugh, but her tone did soften as she continued. 

"I know it might just be wishful thinking, but I believe that he did think of me as a friend, once. He was everything I wished for in a friend. He would look at me and see Ryoko, not the bloodthirsty pirate everyone else saw. He did not judge me, not once. He wouldn't question me, or try to change me. He accepted me as I truly am, and that in itself was unbelievable." 

Her voice suddenly dropped, and she was whispering so low that Tenchi could barely hear her, but he did. " I've never met someone who wouldn't look at me at least once with a look of horror, of reproach for my past crimes. No one, except for him." 

She continued, her voice gaining strength as she talked. "I don't regret killing him, it couldn't be helped. One of us was going to die that day, after all we were warriors, trained to fight until death. The moment the battle began we both knew that there was no turning back, one of us would be lifeless at the end. It was a very simple choice, his life or mine. I chose. If I hadn't, I would be the one in a frozen grave in some unknown planet. No, I don't regret killing him, I only regret that it had to come to that." 

Ryoko's voice began to waver slightly and she stopped, taking a moment to compose herself. Then she was talking again. 

"I can't help but think that there could have been some way around it. If I had not been so cold to him, if I had not taken my anger and pain out on him, if I had allowed him to become closer to me... Maybe he wouldn't have tired of trying to get closer, maybe we would have beat Yugi together, maybe he would still be alive, standing next to me, goading me into robbing yet another bank. So many ifs and maybes. But I did not, he did not, and he's not standing next to me." she paused for a second before continuing. 

"Who knows? Maybe I could have let him in and he could have still betrayed me, but I will never know that. It's the lack of that knowledge that hurts the most. That simple not knowing, and all the ifs and maybes in the universe will not answer that, not ever." 

She turned to look at him. "I keep that picture to remind myself of what could have been but wasn't. It's a painful, but truthful reminder to not let my emotions take control of me, to not blame those who are innocent of crimes they did not commit. I owe that much to Hotsuma, at the very least." 

Ryoko turned away from him and regarded the peaceful scenery, her arms crossed over her chest. Tenchi was at a loss. He had no idea what to say. He had not though much of Hotsuma, or what he had meant to Ryoko, but he certainly had never believed it to run that deep. It was obviously a touchy subject for Ryoko, judging from her tense shoulders and slightly glistening eyes. She was trying to contain the tears that were threatening to fall. It dawned on him that she did not want him to see her cry. 

That hurt him deeply, more than he would have expected it to. She had always been a bit secretive of her emotions, but not with him. She had allowed him to read her unveiled emotions at a time, the undeniable proof that he had her complete trust. But now... he had somehow fallen out of that position. He no longer was allowed to see her cry. In her eyes, he was untrustworthy very much like in the beginning. 

He tried to force himself out of that train of thought. He did not want to think of that right now. There was another question that he had wanted to ask. He looked back at Ryoko, who seemed in control of her emotions again. "Ryoko?" he tried again, his voice no longer as sure as before. 

"Hm?" was her reply. She still wouldn't look at him. 

"Why did you stop writing?" he asked, not really knowing what to expect. 

She faced him again, a strange expression on her face. She seemed to think something through and then her eyes found his again. 

"What is there to write about?" she asked in a calm, sincere voice. 

His face fell and his mouth opened slightly in shock. A simple question. A maddeningly simple question. Yet he had understood what her mind was thinking but her voice would not say. All of her poems had an overwhelming depth of emotion. It was clear that she had written each poem after experiencing an incredibly potent feeling. 

With that last statement she was admitting she no longer felt an emotion capable of inspiration. She no longer had anything to base her poems on. She was... empty, in a strange but crucial way. 

And somehow, Tenchi knew that he had caused this. 

She searched deep into his eyes and she knew he had understood what she had meant. 'Maybe he's not that dense little boy anymore.' came the unbidden thought. Noticing his expression, her mouth formed a tiny, slightly regretful smile, but she would not take back her words. She had meant each one of them. 

She lifted her hand and manage a small wave of some sorts, the regretful smile still on her lips, and then she diapered. 

Tenchi just stared at the place where she had once been, deep in thought. He then closed his eyes tightly, as though in pain. 

'What have I done?' 

~0~ 

Ayeka stared at the Pirate in the rafters. Nowdays, Ryoko seemed so dull, as though the fire that resided in her had burnt out. 

'More like someone killed it....' she thought ruefully. She couldn't blame her, Ayeka felt just like that. Sometimes it felt as cold and cruel as tough someone had poured iced water over a blazing bonfire. But then there were those times when it was much more painfully slow, like the fire had been denied oxygen, and it blazed brightly for a moment only to wither away into nothingness. 

'What happened to us? When did we begin to have to act?' she wondered as she walked towards her room. They had been so happy- a strange, hectic family that passed of as dysfunctional, but that, in reality, was highly functional. After Sakuya, though, everything changed. 

Ayeka did not know why, but it wasn't that Tenchi had fallen in love with another girl that bothered her. Well yes, it did bother her at one time, but the pain went beyond than that. It was the mistrust, she realized, that had really killed it all. You could get over the fact that you weren't his Oh-so-special one. Granted it would hurt like hell, but you could actually crawl away from that, even if badly wounded. You could make yourself believe that he hadn't meant that much, that you didn't love him as deeply after all, even tough your heart would wrench painfully at the mere thought of him kissing someone else. It would certainly hurt like hell. 

But you would eventually get over it, your heart scarred, but much stronger. Your emotions a jumbled, pitiful mass that would eventually straighten out, and you would be able to remember that love you professed to him as nothing more than a bittersweet memory. You would smile and wish him the best, and perhaps even go as far as being his friend. Yes, that would have happened, had this been only an amorous disappointment. 

Unfortunately, this went beyond that. They had been a family, they had trusted each other, willing to die for another member without so much as a second thought. They had all muttered silent oaths of loyalty to each other in their hearts at one time or another, and as silent as those oaths were, they were as strong. They had bound each other's souls around them, creating an impenetrable shield. Or so they had though. 

As much as everyone could fight, they always knew there was more than that. Kiyone could complain all she wanted about Mihoshi, but should the blond havoc personified need her, she would be there in half a second. Everyone could be weary of any of the frightening red-haired scientist's creations, but they knew their lives were safe with her. Even the two unyielding rivals: Ayeka and Ryoko. 

Ayeka would have died for Ryoko, and she knew the pirate would have done the same for her. More so, she knew that she could trust the pirate with her greatest treasure: Her little sister. Sweet, lovable little Sasami. There was not a thing Ayeka would not do for her. Ayeka would never allow anyone who she didn't trust to be around the little blue haired princess for too long. She loved Sasami as though she were her soul, and never in a million years would she let harm come to her. She knew that should Sasami's life be in danger and she not able to defend her, she would trustingly give her to the pirate she had once despised so. And she also knew the pirate would not rest until the girl was safe. She knew. They knew. Every single one of them knew. 

'Well, no that isn't true, is it?' she though sadly. HE hadn't known, apparently, and if he had, he was a damned good actor. She was so... disappointed, so utterly disappointed in him. She had believed that even if he never loved her like she wished he did, he would at least love her as family. And he did, she was certain, but that love had not been enough when compared to the love he had felt for Sakuya. 

She could have forgiven that, they all could have, but not the mistrust. How could he have blinded himself so, even in the name of love? Ayeka had loved him too, but she had seen what was happening. She could see that she did not hold his heart, and although she could have tried to lie to herself she knew the undeniable truth. But he hadn't. He had trusted his love more than he had trusted his family. That realization had been a hard slap they had all received. They had felt the cold, empty and unbelieving feeling in the pits of their stomachs. They tried to hold on, they really had. They tried to make themselves think that he didn't mean it, that he believed in them like they believed in him. That he had not just tossed their shared concern for their family out the window. They fought so hard to believe in him, to hold on to the belief that he would wake up and see the truth. But he hadn't, at least until the truth blew up right in front of him. He had forsaken all of them. 

All of them. 

He had forsaken Sasami. 

Ayeka could still feel anger emanating from her being at that thought. Sasami... What would have happened to her if they hadn't succeeded? What would have been of her little girl? 

Ayeka shook those thoughts out of her mind and breathed deeply. Sasami was fine, nothing had happened to her. She was as cheerful as ever, cooking away mammoth quantities of food. She was fine. She really was. Just try to ignore that little, barely perceptive shadow that passed across her features every now and then. Or that sad expression that appeared when something reminded her of Yugi or Sakuya. And while you are at it, why just not ignore the fact that their lives on Earth were no longer as fulfilling as they had once been, that this mockery of a family they were trying so hard to keep alive was dying? 

Ayeka breathed deeply. Now she was being melodramatic. She still loved Tenchi, she didn't think it would be possible for her to not love him. It wasn't the sweet, fluttery heart kind of love anymore, it was more of a deep fondness. And perhaps it was for the best. She loved him, but after seeing what "love" had made of him, well... She wasn't so sure she wanted to weaken herself so. To her, love wasn't worth her mind, body and soul. If she was to be a great ruler, she mustn't make the same mistake Tenchi had made. Her people could not afford a weak ruler, and she was not about to disappoint them. 

She wouldn't lose herself in someone else. 

~0~ 

Kiyone walked past Ayeka, informing her that dinner would soon be ready. The princess only responded with a curt nod, still deep in though. 'Wonder what's up with her...' Kiyone grimaced. She knew what was wrong with Ayeka. The same thing that was in everyone's minds. 

Tenchi. 

The sweet, young earthling that had changed all their lives. She herself had been incredibly angry at him for a while, but it had passed. The boy was young and in love, what had everyone expected of him? Certainly not for him to act with his head rather than his heart. They couldn't understand that. They were all grown women, with more than a couple of centuries to their names. Him? He was just a boy. 

And even if they could understand, they would still feel a bit bitter towards him. Hell, SHE was a bit bitter. Why were they so hurt? The answer was simple, really. 

They had expected too much of him. 

~0~ 

The red head scientist acknowledged the teal haired Galaxy police officer's message with a small nod before shutting the door to her lab. She walked back to her computer and began typing quickly and efficiently. Her movements weren't thoughtful, rather automatic and almost mechanical. She was just inputting the data from the results of her latest invention. She seemed to be doing very often nowdays. One of these days she would run out of experiment data to load into her computer. Hell, she didn't even really have to do it, her computer could do it in a matter of seconds, but she liked doing it as it took her mind off everything else. How long had it been since she had been out of her lab since the last time? Not more than a couple of days, she was sure. Still, it felt like infinity had rolled over and made it's presence known. 

It was becoming annoyingly common for her to come out for a meal every now and then before returning to the divine privacy of her lab. She only did it to please Sasami and show the rest of the inhabitants of the Masaki household that she was still alive and that there really was no need for them to presume her legally dead yet. 

She stopped her typing for a second to stretch her sore arms before resuming her typing full force. 

She knew that they were worried about her. It was evident on their faces, especially Sasami's and Tenchi's. 'Now he worries? Isn't he a tad bit late for that? He may be cute, powerful, etcetera, etcetera, but he is a little on the slow side.' Washu sighed. She really had to get over it. Really, it wasn't healthy. She was a grown woman (albeit in the body of a child) and the number one scientific genius to boot, she should be able to get over whatever life dished out at her. For some reason, though, she did not feel like confronting the feelings the recent events had roused. She knew it was pointless, regardless of what she tried to ignore she still knew she had been hurt very deeply. That a mere earthling had dismissed her carefully studied observations really had stung her pride, but that it had been one of the few beings she had trusted completely... She didn't want to go there. 

She steered her mind away from such traitorous thoughts and finished typing the last set of data from that particular report. She glanced warily and the data reports from another of her inventions. She wondered for a second if she could get away with going into another typing fit and missing dinner altogether. She slowly dismissed the idea. It was about that time when she was supposed to get out of the lab and state to anyone who cared to listen that yes, she was alive; yes, she was fine and no, she didn't need anything save for the salt shaker. Better get over with it already. 

She dismissed her computer and stood up and headed towards the door. 

~0~ 

Mihoshi sat on the sofa and watched the inane, overplayed soap opera that tried to fool it's viewers onto thinking it was romance and intrigue they were witnessing. It was a particularly lame show that came from some tiny planet whose name she had difficulty remembering, and even more pronouncing. It was very bad. Granted, most soap operas weren't what one would call brain food, but at least they were more entertaining that this particular one. Oh well, nothing good on T.V. anyway. 

She looked over to her left at her partner who appeared to be watching the show, although that obviously wasn't the case, as she continued staring at the screen when the commercials came out without so much as noticing the change. She knew Kiyone's mind was somewhere else. So was Ryoko's, judging from her position on the rafter. And Ayeka's, she noted, as the princess sat down on the sofa and engaged in the same action as Kiyone. She added Washu to her list when the petite scientist sat down to her right and picked up a copy of some fashion magazine from the low table. 

She knew exactly what they were all thinking. She didn't know why they bothered with it, it wasn't as though they could do anything about it. Well, maybe Washu could actually go back in time and change everything, but she doubted Washu would be willing to do that. As psychotic as she could seem sometimes, Washu was a true believer that everyone's life was what they made of it. She respected everyone's decisions, and expected others to do the same for her. 

Mihoshi looked at the preoccupied girls and frowned. Everyone though she was a total air head. With due reason, of course, she did act like one. It wasn't true, for although she wasn't anywhere close to Washu's level, she had been intelligent enough to join the Galaxy Police. 

But it was just so much easier to carry around like she was truly a lost cause. No one expected anything out of her, and therefore she didn't disappoint anyone. It was nice to just worry about the simple things, and not well onto anything uncomfortable. She was at peace with herself most of the time, since she contented herself with the simplest things and allowed her emotions to be shown freely. She was perhaps the only person in the house, with the exception of Sasami, who had absolutely no problem with crying in front of people or laughing like a maniac. She liked simplicity. 

That didn't mean that she had no cares, however. She cared for her friends, very, very much. Which was really why she was upset. She wasn't upset with Tenchi for his decisions, he did what he wanted to do and that was fine. She was upset, however, because apparently those decisions had hurt her friends. She hated to see people upset, and she tried to lighten their moods whenever she could, but this went beyond her. She couldn't do anything to make everyone happy, no matter how much she wanted to. 

She turned her attention back to the T.V. set and saw that the commercials were over. She really didn't want to think about this, it wasn't like she could do anything about it, and really, it wasn't up to her to clean Tenchi's mess. He could do that by himself. 

She had been trying to immerse herself in the story line of the soap opera without much success when she heard Sasami call out that dinner was ready. She looked at the girls and saw them slowly come out of their respective stupor and then glance back at Sasami. The girl had a frown on her normally cheerful face, but when she saw everyone look back at her she planted a smile that was much too wide to be sincere. Mihoshi felt a sudden wave of anger wash over her. 

That a child had to pretend! The little girl should be playing around with her pet cabbit and dreaming of beautiful fairy tales. She should be truly happy, not act like she was when it was obvious she felt sad. 

Mihoshi turned picked the remote and shut off the T.V. before letting the remote fall on the table carelessly. She ignored the other's surprised stares when they heard the violent sound the remote made as it collided with the hard wood surface. They made no comment on it, seeing she really was not in the mood to listen to anything. 

She walked back to the worried child and smiled a large goofy smile while she praised her cooking. "Hey Sasami, that looks really good!" 

She picked up a steaming cup of tea and let it slip a bit so that she was splashed with it's hot contents. It really didn't hurt very much since her skin was quite hardy, but she began flailing her arms around with a loud howl of pain, only to get more tea on herself. She saw Sasami giggle quietly in amusement and internally smiled. 

As long as she could still hear that angelical giggle there was hope for them all. 

~0~ 

Ryoko smiled at Mihoshi's antics. That girl was smarter that she let others think she was. She shook her head and looked back at the book in front of her. She was writing again. It wasn't like her other poems, but it was a beginning. She closed the book and left it on the rafter. It was unlikely that anyone would come up here, and it would be in plain sight for her to see. She floated towards the dinner table and took a seat and watched Kiyone reprimand Mihoshi for her carelessness, the poem drifting through her mind. 

I will not fall in love again.   
It is totally pointless,   
For the first time I gave my heart   
I was mistaken. 

I will not fall in love again.   
This disappointment   
has left a sour taste,   
has taken away my courage   
to fall in love again. 

I will not fall again,   
I won't notice anyone,   
I will not fall in love again. 

~0~ 

Well, lets see, it took me exactly 1 year, 2 months and 19 days to finish and post this part, when I originally planned it to be a couple of months. *Sigh* I could give u a thousand reasons as to why I hadn't finished but the truth is that this was supposed to be a one-shot. I wrote it in a moment of inspiration. I was listening to the Panchos and I just began to translate the songs for no apparent reason, and when I was finished the story came up to me. This second part came from the reviews the first part got. However, this took longer 'cause my muse would leave unexpectedly. 

Originally I wanted this story to be lighter and not quite so deep, but this is what came out. I have no idea why I did this sudden change of mood and made all the girls be completely pissed at Tenchi. Okay I do know, here come my reasons: 

1) I'm pissed at Tenchi myself (aren't you?)   
2) I think that the whole Sakuya-Yugi deal would make all the girls lose their usual carefree nature.   
3) I am in a REALLY bad mood. I got mugged and my purse was stolen friday and I lost about a $1000 Pesos (more or less $100 US. Dlls.) my cell phone, school notes, my cell phone, all my personal ID's, my cell phone, my bank cards, my cell phone, my personal agenda and MY FREAKING BRAND NEW CELL PHONE!!!!!! Granted I lost more money in cash that in my cell phone, but I had gotten it as a birthday gift not 3 weeks ago. Sorry for being so bitchy, but I'm still venting out my anger. U'll have to forgive me. 

Back to the story, I hope u liked it and if u did please review b/c that really motivates me to do better. I'm still a bit sad b/c "For a Boy" didn't do very well and only got 3 reviews. I don't know how long it will take me to write the next part and I'm not about to give an aproximate time b/c I will most likely not accomplish it. And if I don't get reviews I will most likely not continue (not to threaten u guys, but if I'm not motivated I don't write.) If u liked it I'm glad, and if u wanted a happier, sappier story just read the first part and pretend that it had a nice, big, happy ending. 

Ciao for now. 

Meztli   
  



End file.
